Ugallu
The Ugallu are a race of spiritual warriors, and are found throughout the territory of the former land of Mikaan. Racial Origins The exact origins of the Ugallu are unknown, and they certainly predated the Mannish Folk. When humans arrived in the area, the Ugallu were already well established in cities within the mountains. Their own legends suggest they are descendants of Ganlan and Ganlis, the two great lions of Uurnug. Uurnug, the God of the Sky, rewarded them for their loyalty and bravery, using his magic rain to turn them into the first Ugallu. Political Structure The Ugallu are not a unified group, and seek the company only of their own tribe. They live in small city-states in the mountains, and rarely travel far beyond their homes. The whole area around the city is known as the Qerreb, and it is defended fiercly. Ugallu from other tribes will be slain if they enter the Qerreb, unless they announce themselves with the proper customs, seek an audience with the Sharret, and bring appropriate gifts. Other races are given more leeway, but will be chased away. The tribe is a matriarchy, and is led by the Sharret, who is always female. In the past, the strongest Sharret was chosen, and fights to the death were common. A Sharret's reign was often short. Nowadays, the new Sharret is chosen by the Pride of Ancients, a group of older female Ugallu who also advise the leader. There is no limit to how many females can be in the Pride, though usually only a dozen or so are members. An Ugallu simply has to petition to join, and the Pride will vote for her eligbility. Social Structure The Ugallu live in family units, with usually with only one adult female, her mate(s), and the children. Ugallu females can take more than one mate, if she and the males desire. The children are raised by the males, as a group, and paternity is rarely considered important. On the day the female children reach adulthood, they move out into their own home. Military Structure As soon as a male Ugallu can walk, they are trained in combat, and taught how to use swords, spears, and how to wear steel armour. It is the duty of all the males to protect the household, and to escort the head of the family when she lives the domicile. In practice, this rarely happens within the city, and the males will only escort her on the rare occassion tht she leaves the city. The females also learn how to fight, especially in the Ugallu unarmed technique, Arrhar-Muq. The training is even more vigorus than that of the males, but the female will only fight when the last of her defenders is slain, or in battle. All Ugallu are exceptional warriors. The Ugallu are peaceful, and rarely go to war. But when forced to, the Sharret will unite the warriors, and will always lead from the front. Currency The Ugallu do not mint coins. Within the city, they use a barter system. They also rely on a complicated system of reciprication, and 'honour,' for less material services. When dealing with other races, they will use gold or other valuable materials. Appearance The Ugallu are a tall race, reaching an average of 7'. They resemble bipedal lions, though their lower legs are bird-like, with gripping talons. They also have wings, which enable to fly short distances. As an Ugallu matures, both male and females develop horns on their heads. The longer and more twister the horns, the older the Ugallu. The older members also lose their ability to fly, though the can still glide long distances. Only the males have a thick mane of hair, which they braid. A Ugallu's colouration varies; though most are sandy, brown, black and even white Ugallu have been known. Most have golden eyes, though green or blue are considered the most attractive. Males and females alike wear shining armour when outside. Within their homes they wear long robes and gowns. Housing Each family lives within a complex of tall towers. The central tower is usually the main tower and belongs solely to the matriarch. The males and children, in various combinations, will live in other surrounding towers. The Ugallu fly between the towers, landing on platforms on each floor. Stairs also spiral around the outside of the towers, to facilitate those who can't fly. all the towers are joined at the bottom by the communal rooms, the ilving room and the dining hall. Diet The Ugallu are almost exclusively carnivores, and cannot abide (or digest) vegetables. The males of the family traditionally leave the city each day to hunt- though nowadays some choose to buy food from the various city vendors. The Ugallu do not eat much, and feasts are completely alien to them. Over-indulging is, to them, a sign of an undisciplined and disresepectful. The Ugallu subsist on whatever animals inhabit their Qerreb, usually bovines or goats, and they kill only as much as they need. In times of scarcity, hunting males occasionally have to wander for days to find food. Worship The Ugallu worship Uurnug, the god of the Sky. He is the god of the sun, and also brings the storms which ravage the mountains. There is no official priesthood amongst the Ugallu, but a surprising number of them are Za'ama ('Storm-kissed'):This means they are able to control the weather to a limited degree, and are untouched by the elements. These Za'ama are considered to be able to speak with Ugallu, and are frequently consulted before major decisions and battles. They are common, and this gift isn't considered to be mystical or mysterious, merely a natural talent. Stats Adolescent Skills Special- All get 25% of original DP's to spend, in addition to the above. '''Za'ama: '''Can spend 1 BP and receive Weather Ways spell-list, or another weather-based spell-list.